Cuba agrees to release group of political detainees following negotiations with Spain and the Catholic Church

Cuba agreed on 7 July 2010 to release a group of 52 political detainees, following negotiations with Spain and the Catholic Church. The prisoners had been jailed as part of a government crackdown in 2003.

Following the agreement, Spain's foreign minister called for the European Union's 1996 Common Position on Cuba to be relaxed.

• Primary Source

European Union: Press Release: A 130/10: Statement by HR Catherine Ashton on the announcement of the liberation of 52 political prisoners in Cuba http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/115737.pdf

BBC News, 13.7.10: Seven freed dissidents leave Cuba for Spain http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/latin_america/10595296.stm

La Vanguardia, 15.7.10: Dissidents oppose friendlier EU Cuba policy (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/294941-dissidents-oppose-friendlier-eu-cuba-policy

BBC News, 20.7.10: Freed dissidents urge EU not to soften its Cuba policy http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-10683094

Die Tageszeitung, 22.7.10: Castros offer dissidents for sale (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief-cover/299591-castros-offer-dissidents-sale

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